The Loneliest Game
by Rainbowmnms
Summary: Laxus had given up on love. He's too strong to lean on anyone. But a certain mysterious girl always seemed to calm his raging lightning. Anya too is drawn to his magical energy, to the sparks dancing across her skin. With Laxus in danger, Anya decides that despite his strength he's the one that needs to be protected, to be loved, and Laxus decides he wants to unravel her secrets.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! So this story is taken from my other account. Really it's all just insanely confusing at this point, but follow or favorite it here if you're going to because this is the one I'm going to be updating on when I do so. So anyway, I hope you like it and read on. :)**

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-Anya-

I had an obsession, an addiction. It was completely inappropriate, _wrong_ , but I couldn't shake it. I think it started out as a simple bit of curiosity. I'd been sent to the guild to unearth secrets, to find out anything that could potentially disband them. I didn't feel guilty at first. It was just my job.

But after I'd spend a couple weeks in their guildhall, silently watching them in disguise, high above their heads, I grew to know them. I knew their names, their faces, their magic, and their secrets. The sheer amount of information I overheard just by listening closely in the guildhall was alarming. I wished I didn't have it. It was getting tough to keep lying to my employer, telling him I hadn't found anything out about them.

I didn't want to betray Fairy Tail. There wasn't a member who wasn't a good person, and that made my heart knot up inside. I wanted to protect them, but who knows what my employer would do if he knew I'd lied. I wished that I could be with them, walk with them and do jobs with them…join them.

Most of all, I wished I could join him. He was different from the rest. He was strong, stronger than most of the others. This wasn't the only thing that set him apart from the others, though. He took part in the drinking, but never in the laughing and festivities. After observing him for only a few days, I could tell there was something he didn't like about himself.

I only knew this because I sort of felt the same. Actually, not even sort of…completely. Here I was, sitting in the rafters of his guildhall, cloaking my magical presence and watching him at the bar, listening intently to the whispers and chatter of the guildhall. I was watching over him while simultaneously gathering evidence to destroy him. It was disgraceful.

I sighed and stood up where I'd been lounging, walking along one of the high rafters until I was right above him. He looked more tired than usual now, closing his eyes and rubbing them over his beer. I wanted to know why, know his stories and his secrets. He was one of the few I couldn't quite understand. I watched him run his fingers through his spikey blond hair, leaning back against his chair.

"Laxus, are you alright?" His teammate came up to join him, Ever. I didn't like her. She seemed too proud of herself, immodest.

"Fine," he said, resting his arms behind his head. I narrowed my eyes when his muscles tightened and rippled visibly, inching a little lower and a little closer.

"Of course, like always," she said, leaning against the bar, but from her tone it was clear to me that she didn't believe him. She stared at him, waiting for some sort of explanation.

Laxus frowned and let his arms fall to his sides, "I was attacked today."

"What?!" Ever practically shouted, suddenly tensed and angry, "By who? Where?"

"By females…outside the guildhall," Laxus drawled. Ever visibly relaxed.

"And?" she asked.

"And what?"

"What did you think?"

"I thought that they were annoying," he replied, looking at her. I smirked a little. As opposed to Ever, Laxus never really reveled in the glory that came with being a member of Fairy Tail or the attention that came with being one of the strongest in the guild, not to mention his handsome face and ripped body. I guess I sort of liked that.

"You're just not used to the attention after the Grand Magic Games. I'm sure you'll find someone soon enough," she said, nodding resolutely.

Laxus shook his head and stood up, taking one last swig of his beer, "See you tomorrow."

"I'm right, you know!" Ever called after him as he headed for the door.

He just coolly waved over his shoulder and left. I glanced back at the rest of the guild, but it seemed like most of them had left by now and so I decided to indulge myself. I deftly ran across the rafter and headed out the window on the second floor. I carefully made my way to the ground and unmasked my presence, pulling my long, pitch black hair over to one shoulder and out of my eyes. I leaned against the alley wall, gliding my fingers through my stick straight, soft locks and waiting.

"Find someone…yeah, right," he mumbled. I heard his footsteps as he approached. I stared at the opening of the alleyway, waiting in anticipation for him to stride past. Moments later, he came into view, his hands shoved into his pockets and his coat hanging around his shoulders like usual. I turned to watch him, enjoying the few seconds of proximity.

I smiled, taking him all in as quickly as I could. I loved the feeling of his magical energy, like it buzzed around him and sent waves of static through the air. I liked how the tingling felt against my skin, but it was a rare occasion that I actually got a chance to feel it. I tended to keep my distance, the only chance I got to being close to him being the few moments he passed by the alleyway on the way out of the guild. It was starting to become a daily necessity.

I slumped against the alleyway and sighed as he disappeared from view along with that signature electric sensation. I twisted my hair around my finger, holding it there and then letting it unravel itself and fall away. I waited a few minutes until I figured he was gone and headed towards the entrance of the alley unnoticed.

I wished tomorrow would hurry up and come, because I wasn't a patient creature.


	2. Chapter 2

-Anya-

The fan girls were there again when he returned to the guild. A swarm of them stood outside, waiting for pretty much anyone from Fairy Tail to walk past them so that they could scream and make heart eyes at them. Laxus was almost able to get past them without hindrance because Fullbuster had been leaving just as he'd arrived, but just as he was about to get inside they managed to surround him.

The grimace on his face was amusing. He always looked so uncomfortable when they got near him, asking for autographs and pictures. I watched him struggle past them, turning them down one by one until they accepted that he wanted nothing to do with them. There were a few that were more persistent than the rest, following him all the way to the doors of the guild with pink on their cheeks and pens in their hands.

I sighed and stood up, making my way into the hall and hiding myself from everyone's view. It was already late afternoon, so I had to wonder why Laxus was returning to the guild. Normally he'd be leaving about this time. I watched as he headed to the requests board.

I wondered why he was taking a job so late in the day. He must have gone on a job this morning already since he was so late arriving, but why was he already taking another? Granted, they weren't S-Class requests, but taking two jobs in one day was still too much. Maybe he was getting it for tomorrow to avoid being left with the picked over requests board.

While I was lost in thought I almost didn't notice him leaving the guild as quickly as he'd arrived. I leapt across the rafters to the usual window, scaling down the outside of the building with the familiar footholds. I'd done it enough times that I trusted my body to get me safely to the ground without any thought.

As per usual, I unmasked my presence as soon as my feet gently touched the ground. I sighed and leaned against the alley wall, waiting for him. I waited a couple minutes, but strangely he didn't appear around the corner with his strong stride and intense atmosphere. I waited for the feel of his magic, the familiar spark that I relished, but it didn't come.

I hesitantly peeked around the corner, but the only people I saw were fan girls, the usual suspects. I nervously ran my fingers through my hair and frowned. Then it hit me like a train. I gasped and whirled around, the electricity raging around us. Before I realized what was happening, Laxus had pinned me against the wall, his hands tightly squeezing my wrists. I cried out in pain and stared up at him.

I watched as his eyes, those brilliant orange ones, change from angry to surprised. His grip loosened a bit. "A woman?" he said.

I blinked. His expression grew serious, "Who are you?"

I didn't speak, just stared at him. I shifted my weight to my other foot and closed my eyes for a second. I'd never been this close to him…and it was _amazing_. I could feel his electricity dancing across my skin and his warmth flow into me from where he grasped me. My heart sped up with his static. When I opened my eyes again, his were narrowed, looking down on me like he was taking me in just as I was him.

We stood there for a moment, sizing each other up and staring. His eyes skimming over me, jumping across my features and wandering down the length of me. I shivered a little.

"Who are you?" he repeated, but this time the hostility was a little less obvious.

"No one," I said quietly, looking down. No matter how much I wanted to tell him, to tell him everything he wanted to know, to get close to him…I couldn't. I was a spy, and there was no changing that. I couldn't escape it. It was spying or dying.

He didn't say anything for a moment and then, to my surprise, released me. The electricity and heat lessened a bit, but I could still feel his magical energy rippling off of him and filling me up. I took in a deep breath, resisting the urge to touch him again so I could feel the spark.

"I know you've been loitering, girl," he said, staring down at me and crossing his arms over his chest. I pressed my back against the wall, trying to make myself smaller. I didn't want to leave yet, but I couldn't speak with him the way I wanted to. I didn't say anything.

I repressed my gasp as he leaned over me again, "I've smelled you before, always standing in this alley."

I couldn't tell him. I had to get away. I moved to escape him, but he blocked my path, slamming his arm against the wall in front of me. I froze and looked up at him. "Let me go," I said, still quiet and afraid my lips would betray me and spill my secrets to the man I'd only just met. I didn't understand it, but a part of me already knew that I enjoyed that electricity just a bit too much.

"You're not one of those girls, are you? You don't have that…creepy insane feeling about you," he said, then added, "And you're not asking me to sign any of your body parts."

It was clear he didn't mean his words the way I first interpreted them, but I was sure my face lit up. I was a little speechless. He quickly realized what he'd just said and corrected himself, "It's not what you think. Besides, I never sign anything anyway."

I leaned back against the wall, closing my eyes for a moment and trying to calm down. Before I realized it, I was smiling at his modesty. I looked up at him again and was surprised to see him flustered. I raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not crazy, girl," he insisted, clearing his throat. I wasn't sure in the shadows of the alleyway, but I might have seen a dash of pink on his face. He looked away from me, shaking his head.

"Anyway," he continued, "I need some answers. Since you're not one of the stalkers, tell me why you're always here." I tensed again. He was sharp, and I needed to get away. I waited for him to turn around. I wanted to see his face one last time, up close like this, so that I could burn it into my memory. I wasn't sure what was going to happen to me now. I was close to blowing my cover and on top of that I hadn't reported any useful information to my employer. It seemed, whatever road I went down, it was a dark one.

"You don't speak much," he said, turning to look at me again. I shook my head, hugging myself. This was it. I looked up at him and took a step closer, feeling the magic pulse between us with each heartbeat and each breath. My vision got a bit blurry, but I blinked back my tears. I didn't need to leave him with even more questions than he already had. I smiled up at him and he tilted his head slightly to the side, giving me a confused look.

"Goodbye," was all I said before I disappeared. The reason I'm so good at what I do is because not only can I mask my magical energy, I can use my magic to become invisible to the naked eye. It made spying a breeze…the only problem was my relentless conscious.

"Hey!" Laxus shouted. I didn't move, just looked up at him, waiting for him to leave in confusion. But he didn't.

He stayed there, looking around for minutes, striding around the alleyway like I'd somehow stashed myself away in one of the trash bins. I watched him lift his nose to the air and my eyes went wide. I slowly took a few steps back, making sure he wouldn't hear my footsteps. I had to get away before he—

"Vanilla," he said, then turned towards me. I froze. His brilliant eyes narrowed and he shot an intense glare my way. "I know you're still here," he said, "I can't see you or hear you, but I can smell you."

I whirled around. It was no use trying to be quiet now. He could tell where I was just from my smell, and that meant it was just a matter of time before he caught me and asked me all the questions that must have been floating around his head. I couldn't face him, couldn't answer them. "Stop!" he yelled after me, his deep voice echoing across the narrow alley walls.

I sprinted around the corner, running as hard as I could along the sidewalk, dodging around the occasional bystander out late. I kept up my invisibility so as to not reveal myself more than I already had. I wasn't sure how accurate Laxus's nose was, but I thought it better to distance myself even if he couldn't pinpoint my exact location. "Shit," I muttered under my breath, already breathing hard and sweating a little. I wasn't an athletic person, and so running long distances or at high speeds never lasted long for me. My job was sitting, watching, waiting, and listening. I didn't need to run…normally.

I'd honestly meant to leave him behind, to never get close to him again. Despite how good it felt to be around him, to feel that spark, to feel _alive_ …I couldn't be so selfish as to endanger Fairy Tail, endanger him, simply because I wanted to get closer to him. If anyone would suffer, I would make sure it would be me instead of him. He was strong, and something told me he was always the one to make sacrifices for others, to save everyone else. But sometimes the strongest people need to be protected too. It felt like that was a good enough reason to risk my life.

When I finally couldn't run any longer, which admittedly wasn't after that long, I practically collapsed against the wall of a shop, panting. I clutched my chest and glanced around me, but I couldn't see anyone at all. I let out a sighed of relief and nodded. This was for the best.

I'd almost calmed down when I heard a loud crack of thunder. My head snapped up and I held my breath, waiting. Nothing happened for a moment, but then I saw a bright bolt strike above the rooftops, the thunder following it closely. My heart pounded as the strikes got closer and closer until he was right on top of me. The boom was so loud I had to cover my ears. Laxus took advantage of this when he appeared behind me, pinning my arms against my sides so that I could barely move.

"Stop!" I shouted, desperate and practically pleading at this point.

"What kind of person just says goodbye and vanishes? What is with you?" I could feel his voice vibrate against my back. His arms tightly wrapped around me and my body was crushed against his strong chest. I could feel his breath on my neck. The slight contact I'd had with him before had been exhilarating, but it was nothing compared to this.

I gasped for breath, suddenly feeling like there wasn't enough oxygen in the world to fill me up. "Sto-" I mumbled, but I couldn't get it out all the way. I stopped struggling for a second, my eyes narrowed a little. Wave after wave of electricity shot down my spine, causing a tingly feeling to well up in my stomach and then rise up to my chest. I bit my lip, feeling his chest expand and collapse against my back and his arms tighten around me. Then I blinked. I shook my head, trying to ignore the buzz that I seemed to get whenever I was near him.

I'd almost given into it, almost let myself enjoy the magic raging around us that had found its way under my skin, but I chose to fight. I pushed against him as hard as I could, writhing in his arms with all my energy. "Cut it out!" he said, but it only made me fight harder. It's true I was a bit worried that his proximity would allow him to see what I normally managed to hide underneath clothes, but the truth is that I wasn't fighting him for myself; I was doing it for him. If he only knew…

"I don't want to do this to you," he growled, "But I need answers." I slammed my head painfully against his chin, and he snapped. Painful electricity coursed through me, the volts sending spasms throughout my entire body and taking over all of my muscles. I cried out, tears bursting from my eyes. "No!" I wasn't strong enough to endure this. I panicked.

My magic exploded from my body. I couldn't stop it anymore. I was normally weak, weak enough to be defeated with a single attack. Sometimes, though, when I was truly terrified or emotionally unstable, the 'useful, hidden reservoir of strength,' as my employer called it, would defend me. The world froze around me. I suddenly felt exhausted.

Stasis magic takes a lot out of you, especially when it happens on this scale. I had an insane amount of magic inside of me, but I couldn't tap into it unless I was traumatized. The only reason I was able to survive my own magic was the depth of my magical well.

I sagged against Laxus's chest, breathing hard and starting to sweat a little. I was easily able to escape his arms now. I meekly fell to my knees, shaking a little. I waited a moment as the lightheadedness slipped away, and got to my feet. I took a deep breath and turned around, looking up at Laxus.

I was surprised by his expression. I expected anger of frustration; he _had_ been trying to coerce me after all. Instead, though, I saw fear and surprise. I blinked, stepping closer to confirm that my eyes hadn't fooled me. "Laxus," I whimpered. It hurt to see him frozen in pain. I couldn't unfreeze it yet, though.

I slowly approached him, gently touching his wrist. His body was rigid, stuck in the position he had been while holding me. I looked up at him, wondering why he looked so afraid. I reached up and touched the side of his face, then slid my fingers along his scar. It was so smooth compared to the slight scratchiness of his jaw. I hadn't yet unearthed the secret behind his scar, and it seemed so mysterious to me. Actually, Laxus as a whole seemed mysterious. He was one of the few in the guild whose story I hadn't begun to unravel.

I frowned a little when I realized that I could still feel his energy tingling the tips of my fingers. Normally, when I froze someone, his magic would freeze as well. I occurred to me that I'd never really frozen anyone as strong as Laxus. My heart sped up again. Who knew how long it would be until I couldn't hold him in place any longer?

I looked up at him one last time, memorizing his features up close. I didn't know if I'd ever see him again, so it was now or never. I whirled around and sprinted away from him. I could feel the rest of my magical energy being slowly consumed by Stasis, so I ran as fast and as far as I could.

My heart sank with each step. I was running away from one of the few things I desired in this world, from Fairy Tail and from Laxus, and towards the singular thing I feared the most. It was time to check in with my employer. I had to prepare another lie.


	3. Chapter 3

-Anya-

The hallway was just as musty as usual. It was like the dread of the people who walked through it on a regular basis hung in the air and clung to the walls, growing and festering there. I hated this place. I had since I was eight. This hallway, especially, brought back bad memories…because of what was at the end of it.

I took in a deep, stale breath and approached the scratched up, peeling door. "A hundred times and a hundred more," I whispered as I pulled the door open slowly. It let out its signature groan like it was emulating my emotions, and I closed my eyes, the frustration mixing uncomfortably with the fear in my chest.

"Sir," I said quietly. He didn't speak. He just sat behind his desk, relaxed against his chair and staring at me. It was the worst when he did that. The first impression my employer leaves you with is dark. He wears dark, yet fashionable clothing, matching his impossibly dark black hair that always fell down over his left eye. The only thing that stood out about his person was his pale blue eye, the only one that ever showed. The eeriness of it unnerved even the strongest, so it sure as hell intimidated me. It was even creepier when you knew what I did, that the reason he let his hair fall over the other was because it was milky, unseeing.

I cleared my throat, shifting to my other foot. Suddenly, his previously emotionless face twisted into his version of a smile, but his eye remained blank, hostile. "Anya," he said, pressing his fingertips together and stretching out my name so it lasted a few too many seconds.

I bit the inside of my check and met his gaze. "I trust you have good news for me, then," he said, his voice low and laced with venom indiscernible to those who hadn't spent most their lives with this man. He was evil, but he was able to become alarmingly charming when it was to his advantage.

"Fairy Tail is…different than we expected," I said as calmly as I could manage.

He leaned forward slightly and tilted his head down a bit so that he could glare at me more effectively. I wanted to finish my statement with, "They're good, and kind, and I can never betray them even if it meant losing control," but I couldn't. I took a deep breath and looked away for a moment before returning his stare. "They're still too secretive for me to get much information from them," I said. If I wasn't currently risking so much, I might have laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of that statement. Fairy Tail was _anything_ but secretive.

My employer looked down for a moment and then stood up, dragging the tip of his fingers along his desk as he got closer to me. "You've always been my favorite, Anya. You know this," he said, coming to stand in front of me, rubbing his fingers together like there was dust on them.

"Yes, sir," I said, looking up at him.

"There's a reason for it," he said, placing a hand on the side of my face and staring at me. I shivered a little. He leaned closer to my, whispering in my ear now. It didn't feel anything like it had with Laxus; my proximity to my employer always left me with slight nausea and a dizzy, weak feeling that left my legs shaking. "It's because you're so _good_ at what you do," he whispered, "That's why you're my favorite."

I wanted to lash out at him or lose control of my magic when I felt his wet lips gently touch my neck, but I couldn't. He had such a hold on my magic that I wasn't able to ever hurt him; it was why I didn't run away…because I needed to be controlled.

"I always look after you, Anya love," he said, leaning back so he could look down at me. His eye seemed to glow in the dim lighting of his office. "I know you better than anyone. I've seen every inch of you. I understand you better than you do."

"Yes, sir," I agreed.

"Unfortunately, Anya," he said, placing his hand back on my neck, "This also means that I can tell when you lie to me." The fear erupted in my chest just in time for his clammy hands to tighten around my neck. I gasped, grabbing his wrist yet still unable to fight him. I could endure pain. I was used to it from him when I didn't satisfactorily carry out a mission. I accepted it, closing my eyes.

When he released me after what seemed like minutes I gasped and crumpled to the ground. I sucked in a lungful of air right before he slammed his foot into my stomach. I stayed as silent as I could, only letting out a squeak. "Anya, you've lied to me over and over. I wanted you to come out with it on your own, but I suppose my patience failed your test."

He circled around me and I closed my eyes, breathing through the pain and focusing on that musty smell I hated so much. I channeled all of my anger there because I couldn't direct it at him. "I've trained you well, Anya," he growled, the metal toe of his boot slamming into my spine. I clenched my jaw. "So tell me now, why did you lie?"

A tear leaked from the corner of my eye and I quickly wiped it away, my hand shaking. I turned my head so that I could look him in the eye. I couldn't betray Fairy Tail. No matter what happened to me, I'd decided that I would keep them safe. I decided to tell him a lie that was closer to the truth.

"My conscious wouldn't allow me to do it this time," I said quietly, coughing a bit because my throat was still agitated from earlier.

There was quiet for a moment as he turned away from me, tapping his fingers impatiently on his arm. He sighed, and then turned back to me, his face lit up with intense rage. I heard a crack with the next kick and couldn't suppress my scream. I covered my mouth. I knew he hated screaming, so I tried to cover up my cries with my fingers.

"You stupid girl!" he hissed, continuing to open up cuts and leave bruises, "You will return to Fairy Tail and you will do as you've been told!"

The tears openly fell down my face now. This may have been the worse beating I'd gotten yet. I clung to thoughts of the many faces of Fairy Tail, constantly smiling and joking. I think that it kept me sane, kept the pain from claiming my consciousness. I thought of Laxus, too. I thought of the addictive feeling his electricity always left me with, prickling my skin and lighting up my senses. All of the pain felt blunt now, blurred together and far away, but when I was with Laxus everything was sharp, focused.

When he finally stopped I forced myself to stop crying. I lay there, unable to move. "You'll stay in your room until you can move, then you'll leave for Fairy Tail. If you come back without my information I won't ever let you see the light of day again, Anya. You know you can't leave…you need this, so you'd better think of what's best for yourself. Put yourself first, Anya. That's what I've always taught you."

I slowly nodded, afraid to move too quickly and disturb my broken body. One thing was clear: he was sending me back. I only had one chance, and before I'd even left for Fairy Tail I knew what I had to do. I had always hated what I did with my life, what he made me do in exchange for keeping my magic in line. Maybe this was my last chance to do something that actually mattered.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ok guys, so since I'm continuing this I figure I should explain something. Ghostunderasheet, you fabulous sunuvagun...I realize now that it seemed like there had been some strange pedophilic relationship going on between Anya and her employer since she was young, but that's not the case. (*soul vomits*) No, no, no. Her employer is very fond of her because of her magical abilities and her proficiency at spying, but that's all and I didn't mean to make it seem like he liked her for her body. I only thought that the kiss would make him seem creepier, but I'm too lazy to go back and fix it. So, yeah. Explained. Read on.**

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-Anya-

My bruises were still very visible by the time my employer decided I was ready to return to Fairy Tail, but I had enough strength that it wouldn't be immediately obvious that I was injured if I covered myself properly. He didn't come to see me before I left. He must have deemed it unnecessary, like he knew that the severe beating he'd given me had been enough to motivate me.

He was so far from right, though, it was almost funny. I took a deep breath as I walked along the streets of Magnolia, counting my steps precisely because it kept my mind busy and away from thoughts like 'what the hell am I doing' or 'maybe I should go back.'

It seemed all the important events in my life took place at night. I think it's because I'd always felt more comfortable without daylight to expose me. I always kept myself secret from everyone—that was the nature of my magic and thus my being—and night made me feel safe, made it easier for me.

So, of course, it was dark when I reached my destination. I took a deep breath and crossed my arms, looking up at the façade of the building in front of me. It was just a regular looking complex, but it was what I was looking for. Even if I could feel my pulse pounding in my neck, I didn't show it by calmly reached up and tying my long hair away so I would be able to see properly.

My hands were shaking slightly, so I clenched them into tight fists as I approached the building. My eyes jumped around in search of a way up, and landed on a drainage pipe that ran down the front. I pulled my hood up and rolled my head around on my shoulders. Disguising my presence with my magic, I ran towards the pipe and quickly scaled it.

I'd almost forgotten that I was wounded, but climbing a pipe was more than enough to remind me. I stifled a cry as I pulled myself up; my insides and muscles felt like they were tearing themselves apart. I clenched my jaw and focused on the cold metal beneath my palms, gratefully sucking in a lungful of air when I got to the right level.

I grabbed the edge of the small balcony and swung myself over, running out of strength as I did and landing hard on my back. I couldn't breath for a moment as the wind flew out of me, and had to wait a second to catch my breath and shake of the bout of dizziness that came with physical exertion in such a condition.

Despite my pain, I managed to keep my magic flowing, remaining hidden even when I lost my breath. I clutched my ribs as I stood, reached for the sliding door with my other hand. I could see my reflection on the glass door, illuminated by the moonlight, and closed my eyes for a moment.

I hesitated. My employer had told me since the day the Jaded had found me to put myself above all others, that selfishness was the only way to succeed in life. If I went through that door my choice would be final, and it wasn't for my own good. It was going against everything I knew.

I shook my head and pushed away negative thoughts, slowly easing the door open. I silently thanked the universe that the door was unlocked and stepped inside. It was quiet. The room was lit only by moonlight, and it seemed unusually barren. There was a desk in the corner, but there were no picture frames on it. There were no photos on the walls either. There were a couple bookshelves, and when I got closer it seemed like most of the books were informational or scholarly. There were a few classics mixed in, too. I ran my fingers along the books spines and paused at one that stood out.

I smiled a little and pulled it off the shelf. The cover was simple and white, with the title written in fancy red cursive across the front, _The Loneliest Game._ A romance novel. He didn't seem like the type, but I guess despite that tough appearance he still had a softer side.

I flinched instinctively as the white curtains over the window blew in the wind, appearing suddenly in my peripheral vision. The romance novel slipped out of my hands and slammed against the ground. I froze when I heard a groan from across the room. Across from where I stood was the bed, and the sound of the book falling seemed to have revealed me to its occupant.

I sank back into the corner, not ready yet for the conversation I knew I was about to have with him. I stayed invisible, putting off this test of courage for as long as I could. He stood up, rubbing the back of his neck. I peered into the darkness, not completely able to see him.

I gasped a little when he stood up, the moonlight finally revealing him to me. His hair, made messy by sleep, looked almost white in the moonlight, like somehow the moon sucked the color out of everything. It was strange, though, that his amber—almost orange—eyes still seemed as bright as ever.

He sleepily stepped forward, and I could finally see the rest of him. He wasn't wearing a shirt, and shadows pooled by the contours of his muscles. A pitch black, intriguing tattoo stood out against his tanned skin. His black pajama pants hung loosely around his hips, and I stared for a moment at the well-defined V that disappeared beneath the fabric. I wanted to step forward and trace my fingers along the sharp lines of his body, but instead clutched my hands behind my back.

He looked around the room and stretched his arms above his head. I bit my lip, staring at his arms and chest as his muscles tightened and worked together to move his body. My skin buzzed when he walked past me, the electricity almost stronger than last I saw him. I leaned towards him, watching his movements intently.

He strode over to the door and slid it shut, the curtains settling as he did so. My god, even his back was muscled. He stood still for a moment, coolly putting his hands into his pockets and looking out the window. I leaned against the desk, crossing my arms and just watching him. It was strange. I could feel his magic so absolutely, steadfastly, that I couldn't ignore it; it drew me in, a sensation I'd never experienced before Laxus.

"You're here, aren't you?" Laxus said, his voice rough from sleep. I tensed. He knew. "Why don't you start by telling me your name," he said, not turning around.

I didn't say anything. My pulse thundered. It was too intimidating. I'd never spoken to anyone outside of Purgatory in so long, not even a stranger on the street, and it was scary. It felt like I'd forgotten how. And then I remembered that I'd already spoken to him before, however briefly. No, it wasn't his being outside of Purgatory that held me back…it was the importance of this conversation, the first real one we would have together and probably the last.

I watched as Laxus slowly turned around, crossing his arms over his chest and looking around the room. "I don't know where you are, but your smell is all over my room. I'd recognize it anywhere. Vanilla," he said. I flushed. "Drop the invisibility, please," he said.

I dropped my arms to my side and stood up straight, nervously reaching for my hair so that I could run my fingers through it. I realized it was still tied up and instantly let it down, feeling it cascade around my shoulders. I let him see me. His eyes immediately bore into me and I shrunk back a little. He silently stared at me for a moment and then his eyebrows knit together.

"Are you sick?" he asked. I stared at him, taken aback. I hadn't expected that. I was waiting for an angry 'why the hell are you in my room' or a 'what did you steal,' and anything besides those surprised me.

"What?" was all I could manage in a quiet voice.

"You look pale, weak. You're shaking," he said, looking me up and down.

I gulped. He was sharp. My wounds from my punishment were aching and it was starting to take its toll. "I'm not sick," I said, looking him in the eye. It wasn't exactly a lie.

He waited a moment, and then out of consideration nodded to his desk, "Sit down." I did so. "What's wrong?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow, "What?"

He sighed and leaned against the door, "When someone comes to Fairy Tail, it's either to hurt us or to ask for our help. If you wanted to hurt us you would have done so already; you've been hanging around for weeks now. So, clearly, something wrong and you need help."

I looked up at him for a moment, stunned. When his words sunk in, I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh. He was offering me help when I was the one here to help him. "And you don't look like the diabolical type," he said.

I smiled, "I don't?"

I could've sworn I saw a tiny smirk, but the moon might have been playing tricks on me, "No."

I nodded and took a deep breath, gathering what little courage I could from the reassuring, constant presence of Laxus's magic. I looked down at my hands and clenched them into fists. "The truth is I do need help," I admitted to myself, "But that's not why I'm here."

"Then why? You're not one of those creepy fan girls," he said, his voice suddenly becoming worried as he stood up straighter. I smiled and shook my head, but I didn't have enough courage yet. I needed another moment with him, another minute to let the lightning fill up my heart with bravery and a little bit of spontaneous insanity.

He sighed and spoke again, "You never told me your name." That, I could answer.

"Anya," I said, standing up and walking over to where he was. I didn't need to sit down because of my shaky legs. Being closer to him seemed to make me stronger, and that was enough of a remedy for me.

"I'm Laxus," he said, tilting his chin down towards me.

I smiled again, seemingly unable to stop doing that, "I know."

He frowned, "Of course you do. You're the mystery at the end of the labyrinth, so why not say something else to make yourself more perplexing?"

"I'll take that as a compliment for now," I said, leaning against the door beside him. I made sure our arms touched slightly so that I could feel even more of the warm, familiar spark. It was clear that he noticed, but he didn't say anything. He just stayed still, looking down at me with a confused expression on his face like he'd made his way through the labyrinth and was now trying to figure out the mystery.

"Laxus, I'm actually here to help you," I said. I'd finally gotten the first sentence out. It would be like dominos from here on out. Hopefully.

"I'm not the kind of person that needs help," he said without hesitation. I looked up at him, surprised for a moment. It seemed like he was good at that…surprising me. He was staring at me

I shook my head, "Everyone needs help sometime or another, even the great Laxus Dreyar."

"Great?" he asked, scoffing and turning to face me. He was much taller than me, so I had to arch my neck a little in order to look him in the eyes. He looked slightly amused.

"What? You think you have all those fan girls for no reason?" I asked, daring to hold his gaze. I've never been a truly brave person, but Laxus seemed like a challenge I wanted to take on.

He grimaced, "I'd rather go without."

I nodded, turning to look outside, "I know, but it's not all a bad thing. It's because you're strong and handsome. That's good."

There was a moment too long of silence, and I looked back to Laxus, curious. He was frowning, looking away from me with a very clear blush on his cheeks. "You make me uneasy," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Hm?" I asked.

"I don't understand you, and it makes me uneasy. All the others, I get them. You, though…you give me this…" His voice trailed off and I was left to wonder.

"If it makes you feel better, I don't understand you either," I said, running my fingers through my hair, my nervous habit.

"It doesn't," he said. I sighed.

"Look, I came here to tell you something," I said.

"You mentioned that. Something about helping me," he said, leaning against the glass door.

I hugged myself, suddenly completely anxious again. This was the moment of truth. There was absolutely no going back after I told him everything. I would have betrayed Purgatory, my employer. The Jaded would probably be sent after me. I gulped, the palms of my hand suddenly becoming a bit sweaty.

"Anya." Laxus's deep voice echoed in my chest and forced me to look at him. He sounded almost pained. He must have seen the fear in my eyes, because he reached for me. His arms were warm, just like I remembered…only this time he wasn't trying to interrogate me. I didn't realize it until I tasted salt, but I was crying. The feelings of his arms around me caused thunderstorms inside me, and I guess my tears were the rain.

"Why are you hugging me?" I asked, a little confused.

"I have no idea," he grumbled.

I let out a half-choke, half-laugh. "Ok," I said.

"Just calm down and then tell me what you need to tell me," he said gruffly, "I'll wait." I nodded against his chest and then I realized just how much contact we had at that moment. He still wasn't wearing a shirt, and I could feel each of his individual muscles tensing as his large hand slid along my back in his awkward attempt to comfort me. My face heated up and a weird feeling rose up in my chest, so strong I almost choked on it. I couldn't help it. I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"Fairy Tail's in danger, Laxus," I said quietly.

"What?" Laxus growled, pulling away from me. Anger had erupted in his brilliant eyes, so intense I almost stepped away from him. It was clear how much he loved his guild, his family. The words tumbled from my mouth like a waterfall when next I spoke.

"I don't know when and I don't know where, but he's definitely going to attack Fairy Tail. He wants to destroy your guild. I don't know why, and actually I really don't know much of anything…but I know that much and I wanted to warn you. I had to warn you because I know that you don't deserve that. You're all good people… _really_ good people, and I had to tell you."

I was pretty much having a panic attack. I'd officially betrayed my employer, and clearly Laxus had no idea how to deal with it. He was looking at me like I was an alien, clearly wanting to help but not knowing how. I sank to my knees and hugged myself, shaking a little and sobbing. "Laxus," I murmured, "I'm really an idiot. Why'd you have to go and be…you?" Wait, was that the reason I just did what I did? For Laxus? I thought it was for all of Fairy Tail, but…

I let out a little squeak when something fell on top of my head. I pulled the fabric away from my face and peaked out from behind it. "It's ok," he said quietly, patting my head with one hand and pulling the blanket he'd thrown on me tighter around my shoulders with the other. I stared up at him as he came to kneel beside me.

The blanket was warm, soft, and it smelled like him. I inhaled deeply and it somehow calmed me down. "Sorry," I said, "I didn't mean to-"

"I said it's ok," Laxus said quickly. I flinched, afraid that he was angry at me or thought I was annoying.

I hid my face a little behind the blanket, looking away. "Thanks," I said.

"Yeah," he replied, "But I should be saying that, right? At least now we know this person's coming and can be ready for him. You helped us."

 _I helped_ you, I thought, but didn't even dare whisper it. I closed my eyes for a second and then looked up at him again, deciding it was better to wait for him to speak. I had to wait for a while, though; he remained silent for a long time. When he finally spoke, he said, "Anya, why are you helping us?"

"I told you," I answered, "Because you're good people."

He nodded, "But that can't be the only reason. I mean, getting involved with Fairy Tail is always dangerous."

I felt a pang in my chest. I was already involved…I'd just switched sides. Yes, it was for Fairy Tail. For Natsu and Lucy. For Erza and Mirajane. For Gray and Cana. For Juvia and Wendy. Hell, maybe even a little for annoying Ever. But…it was _really_ for him. I wanted him to know that all of a sudden. I wanted him to know that I did it to keep him safe, to protect him from my employer. Because he needed it…he needed me in a bizarre way that he didn't even know about...and I loved that feeling.

I opened my mouth to tell him, and then pain erupted in my chest. I opened my mouth to scream, but no noise came out. Instead I just coughed and tasted iron. Tears immediately erupted. This was the most pain I'd ever been in, and it hurt so much that it blurred all of my senses. I could only see messy shapes, hear ringing sounds, smell my own blood. My body tingled, but it wasn't the same as Laxus's magic. It was terrifying, the sort of tingling that tells you that something is seriously wrong with your body.

When I came back to myself, my brain adjusting to the shock, I was strangely warm. It was mostly my own blood that was warming me, leaking from the wound in my chest, but I was also surrounded by Laxus's gentle warmth. He was talking, but I couldn't hear him. I could only see the panic and fury in his eyes; that was the only thing I could understand.

I managed to lift my arm despite how heavy it felt and how hard it was. I grabbed Laxus's wrist weakly and tried to choke out his name, but I could only get out one syllable. His face contorted even further at my pathetic attempt. I hated it. I'd come to try and protect him and all I'd managed to do was cause him more pain. I was glad that he'd been warned, though. At least I'd accomplished that much.

I'm sure that I was dying in that moment. It's strange. One moment my brain couldn't understand anything, couldn't interpret what my eyes were seeing or what my nerves were feeling, and the next I was hyper aware of everything around me. I could see the individual specks of my blood on the right side of Laxus's face, the contrast between his skin and my blood made more glaring by the moon. I could see little flecks of deep brown in Laxus's eyes, which I hadn't noticed despite the eye contact I'd dared to make with him earlier. I could feel his heartbeat thudding rapidly against my arm and his hand pressing down painfully on my chest, trying to stop my blood from flowing.

And then…there was just nothing.

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 **Gasp. I seem to be leaving a ton of cliffhanger-ish endings for this story. Sorry, guys...but hopefully it'll make you keep reading. (insert evil laugh) Ok, so review and I'll keep writing. I've got quite a few stories and I'm juggling a ton of complicated plot right now, so it may take me a while to update. I'm really fond of this one, though, so I'll probably get writing ASAP.**


	5. Chapter 5

**As usual, raw, unedited, and uncut! No judging, please, you beautiful reader, you. Anyway, you finally get some Laxus POV...sorry it took so long. :P Love you guys. Hugs.**

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~Laxus~

"To put it simply," Wendy said, looking up at me and then nervously glancing down at Gramps, "And I mean… _really_ simply…" She hesitated, squinting as if she were unsure of herself.

"Just spit it out, child," Porlyusica growled, her usual grumpy self, "She's dead."

I felt heavy. Then my throat started to close up a little. It was like my brain couldn't catch up to what I'd been just told, like it was unreal. One minute I'm holding the tiny shaking girl in my arms, wondering what the hell I'm doing and how I could possibly make her stop crying, and then next she's bleeding to death on my floor.

Anya was dead. I looked over to the bed where she lay, completely still and pale. She's seemed sickly when she first showed up, but this was so much worse. I'd been relieved to smell her there, instantly recognizing her vanilla scent as if it had been around me my whole life. Her scent was strangely stale now, though. She'd seemed so worried, on the verge of tears the entire time we first met. I wanted to help her...I mean, it was clear she wanted help. Instead all I managed to do was electrocute her. _Smooth with the ladies, as usual, Laxus._

"Dead," I repeated, my mind finally catching up to reality. Then I felt something, the indescribable feeling I'd only recently come to appreciate…the one Anya gave me. I guess the closest thing to it would be…like a gentle breeze touching my skin, a comfortable silence in the midst of my loud world, a welcome contradiction.

"You're wrong," I said, meeting Porlyusica's eyes.

She looked taken aback and then a slight, almost unnoticeable amusement sparked in her eyes, "Interesting."

Wendy stepped forward, "I said that was an oversimplification, though. You're sort of right, Laxus."

"Oversimplification?" Gramps questioned, lifting his bushy eyebrow.

Porlyusica sighed, like the conversation was starting to bore her, and went to sit down. Wendy looked confused but also simultaneously excited, "Her heart isn't beating and she's not breathing…"

"That sounds pretty damn dead to me!" I practically shouted, anger rising. But still, it didn't make sense. I could still feel Anya's magic, even if she looked empty…not even half the mysterious girl I'd met in that alley.

Wendy looked a little annoyed, "I wasn't done." She gave me a sassy look and I crossed my arms awkwardly.

"Please go on, Wendy," Gramps said gently. I was amazed that he was able to keep his temper in the midst of Fairy Tail. It was amazing, to be honest.

Porlyusica was the one that spoke next, her voice breaking the momentary silence, "None of her organs are functioning, but her body isn't going through the normal post-mortem stages."

"And she's _warm_ ," Wendy said, the words bursting from her like she's been just waiting to get them out. I lifted a brow.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Touch her," Wendy said, gesturing to Anya's bed. I frowned, walking towards her. The peaceful calm I got when I was near her magic got stronger as I got closer to her. I leaned over her, looking at her for a moment. Her dark hair fell over half her face and her arms rested over her chest, the other at her side. Her lips were blue and her skin eerily translucent.

I reached out and hesitantly placed my hand on the side of her face. The calming quiet effect she had on me rushed into me, blurring my senses for a moment. I let it calm my heart down for a moment and then pulled my hand away from her. The moment I removed my hand the normal wild electricity that pulses through my veins raged. My voice was loud, rushed when I next spoke. "Why is she warm? She's not dead, but her heart's not beating? What does that even mean?"

Wendy stared at me for a moment, then I realized that it was probably because she wasn't used to me acting like this. I was always calm and collected on the outside despite the thunder echoing with every heartbeat and the lightning at the tips of my fingers. I usually managed to keep the lightning contained. "Um," she said, clearing her throat and stepping towards Anya's bed. She gently touching Anya's face, smiling, "Her primary organs are suspended, but _parts_ of her are still operating properly. Her body temperature hasn't gone down despite the lack of blood flow and her wounds are acting normally. They'll heal." Wendy fell quiet for a moment, then looked me in the eye and said, "She's a mystery."

I scoffed. Damn right, she was. One that I was determined to unravel. I mean, what the hell was she doing in that alley? Why did she disappear for a week? Why had I gotten so used to her magical energy every day when I walked past that alley that I began to relish the moments of peace she brought me? Why had I wrapped my arms around this girl like it was normal for me? Why had she been shot…and why had it shaken me so much? I had to know. I had to get to the center of her labyrinth of questions.

I sighed and sat down at the end of her bed. "Why not do something else to make yourself more perplexing, Anya?" I said under my breath, looking up at her.

"She's dead, but she's not," Gramps said, walking towards her, "Have you ever seen this before?"

His question was directed towards Porlyusica. "Absolutely not, and I didn't need to…now I'm just going to go question everything I've ever learned about medicine and the human body." She was mumbling as she stalked out of the room.

"She's leaving?" Gramps asked, stunned.

"There's really nothing we can do," Wendy said, "We can only wait and see what happens. I don't think she'll stay like this forever." Hope and anxiety sprung up inside me.

"How do you know?" I asked, confused.

"Mm," Gramps mumbled in agreement, then turned to look at me, "It feels like she's waiting for something. She's patient, cautious…frozen in time and preserved."

"Waiting?" I questioned, then it slammed into my like a freight train. I stood up, staring at Anya who was apparently flypaper for miracles. "Holy…"

"What?" Wendy asked.

"A self-defense mechanism," I said, looking at her. The electricity inside me buzzed as understanding hit me.

"Laxus?" Gramps questioned.

"It's her magic," I said, "I'm not really sure, but when I met her she did this…" I shook my head, "She _froze_ me, like paralysis, but my mind was frozen, too."

"If your mind was frozen, how did you know you were paralyzed?" Wendy asked, curious.

"Because it wore off…but that doesn't matter. Anya…she must have used her magic on herself, preserving parts of her body while the other parts worked to heal themselves," I said, turning back to Anya. She still lay there, unmoving. It felt like it was only a matter of time now, though, like any moment she would open those impossibly dark doe eyes and instead of this bluish tint, her cheeks would light up red like they had when we'd met.

"Magic that suspends…" Gramps said, stroking his chin, "So rare it was labeled extinct, on the verge of becoming a legend."

"Rare?" Wendy asked.

"And impossibly difficult to use," Gramps added, his eyes suddenly lighting up with fascination.

Wendy smiled and then yawned, "I'm sure you'll tell us all about it, but later because it's really early and I've been awake since Laxus brought Anya to the guild."

"Right, of course. Get some sleep and we'll continue this is the mor-" Gramps paused, "The slightly less early morning."

I watched them head towards the door, but instead of following them I sat in the chair next to Anya's bed. Gramps looked back at me for a moment. We made eye contact for a moment and then he nodded, turning to leave with Wendy and shutting the door behind him.

I sighed and rested my arm next to Anya's. I stared at her. "You'll panic if you wake up and you're alone, won't you?" I asked her even though I knew she couldn't hear me.

I shook my head and rubbed my eyes. It was only then that I realized I still had her blood on my hand. I frowned, the familiar rage filling up my chest and fogging my vision. Someone had tried to kill Anya. She didn't deserve that. She was just an innocent girl, trying to help Fairy Tail.

My heart dropped. I clenched my jaw at my realization. It was _because_ she'd helped us. The person she's been talking about, the one who was after my guild…he'd done this to her, found out about her intentions to thwart his plans. God knows how she found out about them, but I _knew_ it had been him. I suppressed the growl that was forming in the back of my throat and looked back at her.

The anger was starting to overwhelm me, to the extent that I could feel the air around me buzz with impending lightning. I took a deep breath and then reached out. I took Anya's warm hand in mine. I was glad it was still warm, that she still _felt_ the same she had when she'd finally come back after her week of absence, even if she didn't _look_ the same.

I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes. I felt Anya's magic calm my nerves. It was strange feeling such calm. I was used to the lightning, to the endless energy and the static. But whenever she was around I felt different, at peace. At first I found it alarming; it had made me uneasy to say the least. But now, after seeing Anya almost die…I guess I'd come to appreciate it. I actually _liked_ it, and that was why I'd instantly brought her here. I had to save her, to keep her alive and her soft, gentle magic close to me.

I felt my eyelids fall slowly. "Perplexing," I mumbled as sleep took me. Perplexing.

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